ipl-logo

The Outsiders Character Analysis Essay

933 Words4 Pages

Ponyboy from “The Outsiders” has many characteristics, but just like any person there are good and bad ones with a few that really stand out to show what type of person Ponyboy is. The book, “The Outsiders” by S. E. Hinton is a coming of age fiction book that goes 2 weeks into the life of a 14-year-old boy, Ponyboy Curtis, in the mid 1960s. It shows Ponyboy and his gang going through society with two different social groups, the socs and greasers, and how he struggles with what's right and what's wrong when he feels like an outsider. Ponyboy can be arrogant and impulsive, however he makes up for it by being brave and thoughtful, showing us that he is a great representation of a loyal person that will do anything for his family and friends, …show more content…

One example of Ponyboy’s positive character traits, being thoughtful, is when Ponyboy is speaking to Randy as he is about to buy cokes from “Tasty Freeze”. Randy had pulled him aside and during their talk, put certain things in perspective for Ponyboy. This is shown when in between their conversation, Ponyboy starts to think and says to himself, “Randy was supposed to be too cool to feel anything, and yet there was pain in his eyes.”...”I remembered Cherry's voice: Things are rough all over. I knew then what she meant.” page (117). This shows that Ponyboy is thoughtful for a few reasons. One of these reasons is that he is taking the time to analyze Randy’s face, trying to put a real emotion to what he sees. He then connects this to what he’s heard Cherry say before, showing that he’s thinking about it and really trying and really starting to understand how the socs have it rough. He gets all of this because he is thoughtful and because he is really thinking about everything he knows and has …show more content…

This shows Ponyboy being arrogant when he states to Ponyboy, “That made me mad, I mean making a fool of myself in front of everyone. ‘An’ you can shut your trap, Johnny Cade, ‘cause we all know you ain’t wanted at home either. And you can’t blame them.’” page (42). This shows that Ponyboy is arrogant because this is one example of when he talked on impulse just when he was mad. This shows that he really didn’t think about what he was saying and just said these things because he was mad and wanted to hurt someone else too. This was putting himself above someone else because he felt embarrassed. So, Ponyboy has his faults, however his plethora of good traits ultimately drowns them

Show More
Related
565 Words | 3 Pages

He is constantly concerned with relationships, who did what, and who thinks what about who. A prime example of this is Ponyboy’s thoughts on his two brothers. Like his idea of Darry hating Pony, and never being “sorry for anything he does.” Ponyboy is focused on what things look like, not the true meaning. Although Ponyboy does not stay like this forever.

Read More
419 Words | 2 Pages

Him being tough helps Ponyboy and his brothers be

Read More
1210 Words | 5 Pages

Several of Ponyboy’s traits differed from the beginning due to environmental crisis that he had to endure through. Sensitivity, a trait Ponyboy is unique to in the book, helps him to feel more emotion that the other greasers and the Socs, which was shown in the beginning and the middle, especially when Johnny and Dally died. To mask his sadness and true feelings, Ponyboy tried to act tough like Dally so he didn't have to suffer, but it did not benefit him. As shown in the book, “...It was the oddest feeling in the world. I didn't feel anything-scared, mad, or anything.

Read More
164 Words | 1 Pages

A central conflict for Ponyboy in The Outsiders is his worry for his family and friends. For instance, Ponyboy really worries about Johnny and Dally when they are in the hospital. This interprets that Ponyboy can’t stand to live without them or see them badly hurt. In other words, Pony loves his family and friends and if one dies everyone will be depressed and uncomfortable. Another example is that Ponyboy also gets to know Bob and Randy, and how they were good guys to hang around with.

Read More
346 Words | 2 Pages

He shows this when he fights with the Socs at the rally. (Hinton, 144) Ponyboy wants to defend and help the other members of The

Read More
413 Words | 2 Pages

Throughout the book, Ponyboy learns about the consequences of violence and the importance of brotherhood, which helps him grow and mature. He learns to see beyond the social divisions that exist between the Greasers and the wealthy Socs, and realizes that people are more alike than they are different.

Read More
467 Words | 2 Pages

This realization could change Ponyboy's perspective and help him to see the Socs as people and not enemies. It may also encourage him to be more understanding and kind to the Socs, leading to a more peaceful relationship between the two groups. Also, Pony is sitting with Cherry talking like they knew each other forever but they had just met. Cherry is a Soc and Pony is a greaser,

Read More
923 Words | 4 Pages

He could take anything. It was Johnny I was worried about.” He knows how frightened and anxious Johnny is after being jumped and how he is not as tough as the rest of the Greasers. Especially without a loving family at home, Johnny only has the gang and is not able to take as much. Throughout the whole novel, Ponyboy expresses how much he cares for others both with Johnny, and

Read More
882 Words | 4 Pages

Have you ever experience the loneliness? Have you ever be an outsider? Do you care about other people feeling? The book “The Outsiders” written by S.E. Hinton’s novel, is about a boy named Ponyboy, which is on the greaser side. There are two main gangs of people.

Read More
693 Words | 3 Pages

Darry and me nearly went nuts when you ran out like that. Darry is awfully sorry he hit you. You know he didn mean it. ’”(81). That note proves that Darry cares about Ponyboy, and even though he might do something he shouldn’t, at the end of the day he loves, and cares about him.

Read More
1189 Words | 5 Pages

To start off with, Ponyboy further see’s into how his brother Darry really feels when it is referred to in: “In that second what Soda and Dally and Two-Bit had been trying to tell me came through. Darry did care about me, maybe as much as he cared about Soda, and because he cared he was trying too hard to make something of me. When he yelled "Pony, where have you been all this time?" he meant "Pony, you've scared me to death. Please be careful, because I couldn't stand it if anything happened to you.

Read More
740 Words | 3 Pages

This quotation supports my statement because it he said to not worry, because he’ll get them which shows he’s courageous and helps others. Ponyboy is also very strong and not a coward. One of the quotations that can support my statement is when he goes inside the burning church and it was “a red hell”, Ponyboy said, “I should be scared, I thought with an old detached feeling, but I’m not.” (p. 92)

Read More
481 Words | 2 Pages

They are both on page 118, Ponyboy thinks to himself “Things are rough all over, but it was better that way. That way you could tell the other guy was human too.” (Hinton 118). This quote shows that Ponyboy is realizing that things are rough all over, everyone has their own problems. On the same page Ponyboy even admits it to two-bit “‘He ain't a soc, I said, he's just a guy.

Read More
667 Words | 3 Pages

You first start to see a slight change in Ponyboy’s point of view when he meets Cherry (Sherri) Valance, furthermore when he speaks to Randy in the car, as well as when he reads Johnny's letter. Ponyboy’s point of view changes when he gets jumped by the Socs and when he first meets Cherry. It is through these events

Read More
594 Words | 3 Pages

However, he is negatively affected by it. An example of Ponyboy accepting his stereotype is when he fights in the rumble against the Socs, with the other greasers. He is not ashamed to be fighting with his friends, even though he states that he has no reason for fighting. Additionally, Ponyboy is upset when he is forced to cut and bleach his hair, because he wanted to look “tuff” like his friends.

Read More

More about The Outsiders Character Analysis Essay

Related Topics

Open Document